Bainbridge mom proud of her anti-whaling efforts

Izumi Stephens, the Bainbridge Island woman who traveled to the
Antarctic to defend whales against Japanese whalers, has ridden an
emotional roller-coaster during her first 40 days at sea.

Izumi
Stephens

One thing Izumi has learned is that the sight of a humpback
whale can lift her spirits, she told me today by satellite phone
from the Southern Ocean.

A native of Japan, this single mom signed on with Sea Shepherd
Conservation Society as a translator. She is serving aboard the
Steve Irwin, which is part of a three-vessel anti-whaling fleet in
pursuit of four Japanese whaling ships. (Check out previous
descriptions of Izumi in the
Kitsap Sun Oct. 31 and
Water Ways Nov. 1.)

The Steve Irwin left Hobart, Australia, on Dec. 2. Izumi was at
sea about three weeks — having survived a bout of severe sea
sickness as well as homesickness — when she spotted a massive
humpback whale off the side of the ship.

“Before I saw a whale, I was desperately wanting to see my
daughter and go back home, and I wanted to touch my dogs,” she told
me. “Then I saw a whale, and I think my determination and
motivation and everything caught up with me.”

She still misses her children, her friends and her community,
she says, but seeing that first whale reminded her why she had
joined the battle in the first place.

“I’m doing this for the whales and our future and our
community,” she told me, “and I’m so proud.”

Spending weeks at sea is an experience like nothing she has ever
faced before, Izumi said. She takes her turn at mopping floors,
washing dishes and cleaning toilets. She has used her language
skills on only a few occasions — mostly to speak to Japanese
reporters covering the story and updating Sea Shepherd’s new
Japanese-language website.

Watching whales swimming in the ocean has brought real meaning
to the anti-whaling campaign, she said. A day or two after that
first sighting, Sea Shepherd faced its first encounter with the
Japanese whaling fleet.

It was New Year’s Day, and all three vessels in the Sea Shepherd
fleet were tailing the Japanese processing ship, the Nisshin Maru.
As the vessels moved through large chunks of floating ice, the
three Japanese harpoon ships tried to block the way so that the
Nisshin could get far ahead. The pursuing ships were slowed but
able to get by.

“There were very dangerous blocks of ice everywhere,” Izumi
said. “It was a scary moment. I was here on the bridge, and I saw
the beautiful sky and the crisp air. It was like a scene in a
movie, and I still can’t believe it is reality.”

So far, the Sea Shepherd has had no need to hail the Japanese
crews, but Izumi could be called into action at any moment. As I
write this on Friday, the Sea Shepherd fleet is following a tanker
ship just outside the Antarctic Treaty Zone. The current strategy
is to keep the Japanese vessels from refueling from the
Korean-owned tanker Sun Laurel. Apparently, nobody on board speaks
Japanese, or perhaps they are simply refusing to respond to Izumi’s
radio calls.

“Life here is inconvenient,” Izumi told me, “but the people are
so nice, and they have a passion, and that makes a difference.”

I asked her if she had been filmed by the crew working on the
television show “Whale Wars,” which is scheduled to enter its
fourth season this summer on the Animal Planet network.

“They’re here right now shooting me,” she said as we spoke on
the phone.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see whether any shots of
Izumi survive the production process and make it to the television
screen.
—–
Here are the actions reported so far by Sea Shepherd since leaving
Hobart on Dec. 2:

Tuesday, Dec. 2: Sea Shepherd leaves Hobart
with two vessels: Steve Irwin, the longstanding command ship, and
Bob Barker, a faster ship added last year. The newly added Gojira,
a monohull trimaran capable of 24 knots, is enroute from Western
Australian to join them. This year, Sea Shepherd is deploying a
faster, longer-range helicopter capable of carrying more
people.

Wednesday, Dec. 10: Steve Irwin arrives in
Wellington, New Zealand, for a four-day celebration and send-off
for the anti-whaling crew. The ship takes on a maximum load of fuel
for the ship and helicopter along with a ton of donated supplies.
The ship leaves at noon on Tuesday, Dec. 14.
Saturday, Jan. 1: The three Japanese harpoon ships attempt
to block all three Sea Shepherd ships from pursuing the factory
ship Nisshin Maru through the ice. Clashes involve high-speed
chases and near-collisions. The whalers fire their water canons,
while Sea Shepherd crew members toss stink bombs.

Wednesday, Jan. 5: Capt. Paul Watson of Sea
Shepherd orders a pontoon boat to go after the harpoon ship Yushin
Maru 2, which he claims is fast approaching and possibly
threatening the Gojira as it tries to refuel. Those aboard the
small boat are able to toss several stink bombs onto the
harpooner’s deck while attempting to tangle a rope into its
propeller. The Institute of Cetacean Research, which represents the
Japanese fleet, releases this short video,
complaining of the Sea Shepherd attacks.

Friday, Jan. 7: Two of the harpoon boats,
Yushin Maru 2 and Yushin Maru 3 continue to tail Sea Shepherd’s
large vessels, which are trying to catch up with the factory ship,
Nisshin Maru. The faster Gojiro goes ahead to look for the Nisshin
Maru and begins deploying a new tool — high-altitude weather
balloons equipped with cameras and radar to search large areas for
the factory ship.

Sunday, Jan. 9: The Japanese Institute of
Cetacean Research claims Sea Shepherd threw a flash-bang grenade
and releases a video that shows a
flame on the side of Yushin Maru 2. Sea Shepherd denies ever
using such “dangerous weapons” in retaliation, saying they are
stink bombs and smoke bombs.

Wednesday, Jan. 12: Sea Shepherd announces that
it has located the supply ship for the Japanese fleet. It is said
to be a Korean-owned, Panamanian-registered tanker named Sun
Laurel. Said Watson, “We have found the Achilles heel of the whale
fleet, and we intend to stay on it like a bloodhound and keep this
ship from delivering fuel and supplies to the whaling fleet.”

Thursday, Jan. 13: Sea Shepherd advises the Sun
Laurel that it is a violation of the Antarctic Treaty to refuel
vessels in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. The captain of the
Sun Laurel reportedly agrees to leave the sanctuary by heading
north across the 60th parallel.

Friday, Jan. 14: The Sun Laurel is now north of
the 60-degree line, still being followed by the Steve Irwin and Bob
Barker. Yushin Maru 1 replaces Yushin Maru 2 behind the Steve
Irwin, meaning all three harpoon ships are within sight of the Sea
Shepherd vessels. Because of the close proximity of the harpoon
ships and speed of travel so far this year, few if any whales have
been killed by the Japanese, Watson says, adding that a third of
the hunting season is now over.

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3 thoughts on “Bainbridge mom proud of her anti-whaling efforts”

Sorry, but, however they feel, what sea sheppard does at sea is the same sort of terroristic threats and illegal activity that extremist protestors do here when they spike trees, vandalize agriculture they disagree with, or vandalize/destroy shops they don’t like. It is illegal here when it is done and it is illegal there. They do it for coverage in stories like this. You wouldn’t see such sympathetic coverage about a group slashing SUV tires. Intentionally attempting to foul a ship’s screws with line or nets is the same as spiking a hunters gas tank and driving a knife into her tires. The fact that such illegal activity gets coverage is terrible, let alone charitable coverage. It is more about inciting illegal activity than about journalism. Everyone who gives money or aid to Sea Shepherd should be prosecuted for aiding illegal activities. The whaling companies should sue the organization and their supports, especially those with deep pockets. We don’t need anarchy anywhere at sea or at home.

I understand there are strong feelings on all sides of this issue, and I have never felt a particular need to cover Sea Shepherd’s activities. But people are interested — particularly now that we have a local woman involved.

My coverage of Sea Shepherd’s activities should not be construed as a personal endorsement. I once asked readers of Water Ways if they would prefer that I write frequently about Sea Shepherd, ignore the group’s activities altogether or something in between. Based on the response, I try to update Sea Shepherd’s activities in this blog two or three times a year.

With Izumi Stephens serving on the Bob Barker until March, I hope to bring you a few more reports from her perspective. I perceive Izumi as a local person, a mild-mannered but passionate woman who is out of her element yet involved in the adventure of a lifetime.

Tim, I welcome your viewpoint and encourage anyone to offer their opinions about Sea Shepherd or my coverage. I will also take comments from those who would like to defend Sea Shepherd. For me, how to cover this subject is a bit of a dilemma.

What the Sea Shepard is doing is not illegal. What the whalers are doing is. They are not killing whales for research, they are killing them to sell the meat which is big in Japan. They hid behind the research stuff and are killing whales in what is supposed to be a no kill place for whales. While the people you are referring to as slashing SUV tires and burning down houses built in the woods, the difference is that it is not illegal to build in the woods if you have the permits and it is not illegal to own an SUV as long as it meets standards. There is a difference between an ecoterrorist and the Sea Shepard regardless if you care what is happening to the whales. I saw the video when the whalers ran over the fast boat last season. They did it on purpose, it was not an accident, and that is threatening lives of people. Stink bombs and ropes are not threatening people, just making it much harder for the Japanese to kill whales. Go Sea Shepard!!!